Why You Should Try Honey For Your Kids’ Cough

Do we also know that most parents double check or triple check the labels on cough medicine boxes before giving the recommended dose to our little ones? Maybe not every parent, but surely it’s common to feel hesitant and trustworthy of a brand when it comes to using medicine (especially if it isn’t all natural). Commercial cough medicine can come with many side effects for your little ones if not used properly. It can also be costly depending on the brand, especially when in need of different ones specific for different ages and different ailments.

Here’s where the good news comes in.

Honey is a safe and less expensive alternative as a remedy for cough. Honey for cough relief is effective in soothing and considered safe for toddlers 12 months and older, as well as kids and adults. According to The World Health Organization, honey starts soothing the throat as soon as it contacts it.

There’s more than the soothing. Thanks to an enzyme added by bees when they harvest honey, it also has antibacterial properties as well, which may help shorten how long you have the cough if it is due to bacterial illness.

How to make a lemon and honey home remedy

You’ll need:

2 cups of dark honey

1 whole lemon

Water for boiling lemon

Directions

Place 2 cups of dark honey in a pot and place over low heat. The honey should not come to a boil. In another pot, place some water and a whole lemon and boil for 2 to 3 minutes to remove any bacteria on the skin and this will also help the lemon to soften. The lemon should cool enough to be sliced. Lemon slices are added to the honey on the stove.

This mixture cooks for about 60 minutes over low heat. Strain the mixture to make sure any seeds are removed. The mixture needs to cool before being placed into a glass jar that has a lid. The cough syrup stores in the refrigerator and will last for about 2 months.

The dosage on this syrup would be a 1/2 teaspoon for a child weighing 25 pounds. A child weighing 50 pounds would take 1 teaspoon. The child should take this 4 times each day or as needed. Adults can take a full tablespoon just as often.

Note:Feel free to re-dose as often as needed, but remember: Never give honey to children under 1 because in rare cases it can cause infantile botulism.